1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to draperies or curtains and, more particularly, a drapery tieback system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Tiebacks are commonly used with draperies to gather and retain the drapery towards the side(s) of an opening, most often a window. The benefits of such tiebacks are twofold, The first, and most obvious benefit, is that they retain the drapery away from the center of the window so that people inside the room can see outside and so that the outside light can pass into the room. The second benefit, and, for the reasons stated below, most likely the more important benefit to the drapery user, is that the resultant appearance when the drapery is retained by the tiebacks is aesthetically pleasing and often an important design feature of the room.
The prior art tieback devices focus on the apparatus or structure attached to the wall to which the drapery is tied. For instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,022,415, 4,559,988, 4,903,370, 4,912,829, 5,078,199, D341,311 and D348,166 all disclose assemblies comprising some sort of bracket which is affixed to a wall adjacent the window and to which the drapery is tied.
However, when evaluating drapery accessories, such as ties, it is important to recognize that draperies or curtains are often chosen by those seeking to obtain a certain look or appearance when decorating a room. If they were merely seeking to cover a window, other more conventional, less expensive and maintenance free coverings would probably be selected. It is for this reason that draperies and other designer window coverings are now commonly referred to as window "treatments" and not merely window coverings. Thus, the overall appearance created by the draperies and their ancillary accessories are usually important to people who choose draperies as their window treatment.
With this in mind, applicant has discovered that conventional tiebacks have severe limitations which adversely effect the resultant appearance of draperies. Conventional ties are comprised of a fabric or cord having an appearance matching or enhancing the design of the drapery. Such fabrics and cords have inherent deficiencies which limit their functionality and aesthetic appearance. Specifically, the fabrics and cords must be adjusted to achieve the desired balance, that is, so that they rest at the same height and retain the drapery at the same position on both sides. This is a difficult balance to achieve and often requires significant trial and error similar to trying to balance a picture on a wall. Additionally, many fabrics and cords, because of their material, naturally create static, resistance and friction when in contact with the drapery, thereby causing them to become twisted or creasing the draperies and any pleats thereon. Furthermore, many fabrics and cords are not water resistant and, in fact, certain fabrics, such as silk, may be ruined if they become wet. Also, cleaning most fabrics and cords requires washing and drying or dry cleaning, which takes time, costs money, may result in the fabric or cord shrinking, stretching or otherwise becoming damaged and results in the loss of use of that fabric or cord for a period of time.
The prior art fails to recognize these problems and, consequently, there is no suggestion or motivation for one of ordinary skill in the art to modify any of the prior art devices in the manner disclosed by applicant's invention or in any other manner which might address these problems. Such lack of disclosure, suggestion or teaching in the prior art supports the conclusion that part of applicant's invention is the discovery of the problem, that is, the need for a drapery tie which addresses the many deficiencies of the prior art ties discussed above.
Accordingly there is a need in the art for a drapery tie which quickly and easily finds a natural equilibrium position, thereby requiring little adjustment, which creates less resistance and friction when in contact with the drapery, thereby preventing twisting and creasing, which includes means for preserving any pleats on the drapery and which is water resistant and easy to clean. The present invention is particularly suited to overcome those problems which remain in the art in a manner not previously known.